


Stranger than your sympathy

by Nife



Category: Voltron: Lion Voltron
Genre: And Me - Freeform, M/M, Shiro Ship Week 2017, and i wanted to be safe, at least according to lotor, but there's an implied attempt, sendak is living garbage can, so in zarkon, there's no actual rape
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-21
Updated: 2017-12-01
Packaged: 2019-02-05 05:59:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12788538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nife/pseuds/Nife
Summary: Shiro week, Break/MendLotor really doesn't want to be taking care of another of daddy's little screw ups, he has a coup to plan, a rift portal to make, the list goes on and on. But, of course, he doesn't want daddy to learn Lotor's about to shove a canon up his empire's ass and hit the trigger on repeat. (A tale in which Shiro is dumped into Lotor's lap because none of Zarkon's goons can be trusted, ever, period)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> “You gave me a blanket,” Shiro said, voice dipping deeper into disbelief. “I- Why? Why bother taking- who are you? Why are you helping me? What do you want?”
> 
> For a moment Lotor was honestly floored, even unsure how to respond. He’d already explained why the man had the sheet, and obviously. “Want? Help? I was ordered to …heal you,” he tried since it was the absolute obvious answer.

Lotor had had a very productive morning before it all crashed down upon him. He’d arranged a meeting with a King from the Zalituian system without his father's express knowledge, and checked up with his generals, to see where they were with their various missions. 

 

But, then his father had messaged him, well, not so much as; dropped a ship out of hyperspace, and had one of his goons demand to be allowed to board. Then there was a galra soldier on his ship, holding a leash of a bound and muzzled, what Lotor guessed to be, slave. Said goon opened a comm link directly to his father, without ever addressing Lotor, for added insult. 

 

Before he could even open his mouth to greet his father, the emperor barked out his orders; mend the broken gladiator that was being handed over, or face dire consequences. 

 

Outwardly, Lotor didn’t so much as blink, just gave an even ‘vrepit sa’, staring steelily at the screen without looking at his father, as was protocol. Inwardly he wondered just how far he could deflate his lungs in a sigh without them collapsing.

 

At the same bewildering pace, the leash was unceremoniously handed over to him, as well as files on the being, and the galra soldier returned to his ship. 

 

And there Lotor stood in his docking bay with a very scared gladiator-slave who looked like he’d come up against an entire hoard of rynak and barely made it out alive. 

 

Today had started out so well too. 

 

-

 

So, while his drones saw to the being’s wounds, made sure he was properly hydrated, and then sedated to sleep off his healing, Lotor read up on whom had been dropped into his lap.

 

Apparently, they were from a small part of the universe that the galra hadn’t conquered yet, a species named ‘human’. More impressively than that this one had beat the supposedly undefeatable previous Champion Myzax and had earned that title for himself. 

 

Less impressively, through no fault of the human's, the reason he’d been turned over to Lotor was that his previous keeper, Commander Sendak, a miserable monster that should have been put down long ago, beat the human within an inch of his life. This was after the slave protested, violently, to being used for purposes outside ‘gladiator’.

 

_It gave Lotor no small amount of pleasure to learn that Sendak had lost an eye over his vast underestimation of this smaller creature._

 

All this meant that Lotor would have an absolute nightmare of a rehabilitation to perform. All because his father, equally as monstrous and shortsighted, hadn’t handed him over to him _before_  that had happened. 

 

As Lotor contemplated how he might end Sendak and frame him as a traitor, an alert chimed beside him, alerting him that the human had awoken. 

 

They were already trying to get up and off the bed, unfortunately not making it very far. Barely a half step from the bed he fell, landing flat on his face. Lotor might have laughed if that didn't mean the foolish creature had just undone some of his work.

 

With an annoyed sigh, Lotor was up and headed over to the cells on his flagship, two drones at his heels. After they reached the cell Lotor made the wall transparent, unamused as the human jolted, struggling to get upright. 

 

“Please do not undo all my hard work,” Lotor asked, trying to keep his tone from being flat. “I just finished closing all your wounds.” 

 

“Fuck you!” the human growled or tried to, the sedative making him slur. 

 

Lotor merely raised a brow, not knowing, or really caring, what that even meant. “Perhaps we could start simple, I am the Crown Prince, Lotor of the Galran Empire. I may be addressed as Prince Lotor,” he said. “And your name is?” 

 

For some reason that gave the human pause, eyes widening before narrowing at him, though not enough inspiration for him to answer. 

 

Lotor refrained from giving another sigh, “I will not address you as ‘champion’,” he informed him sternly, “and I would prefer not to address you by your species. That leaves a name or your prisoner code, choose which before I pick for you.” 

 

The being’s entire demeanour shifted, upset and confusion easily ripping away his anger. He looked down then back up at Lotor, his odd grey eyes nearly shining. “S-Shiro,” he said in a near whisper.

 

Lotor nodded and motioned to the drones. They stepped forward, put down the shield of his cell, before picking ‘Shiro’ up and attempt to place him back on the cot. That sparked the fight right back up in the man, and he let out a near howl, struggling in their arms. 

 

“They’re just-” Lotor sighed, rubbing his temple. Well, there went the last couple vargas of work. “No one is going to hurt you, Shiro, now please stop thrashing, you’re tearing your wounds back open.” 

 

Yeah, that wasn’t very effective, since Shiro only started screaming in a mix of languages to garbled for the translator to properly process. Lotor called the bots back, releasing a now bleeding and heavily panting Shiro back onto the floor.

 

Lotor watched, trying to assess what he’d have to mend again. He mentally cursed out his father, the empire, and especially Sendak for having dropped this burden in his lap. “And now I will have to restitch all your wounds,” he said and walked over, watching as Shiro scowled up at him. 

 

Another garbled noise much like before came out of Shiro’s mouth, blood landing on Lotor’s boot. Physically Lotor let out a breath, hoping it was simply a cut rather than a sign of internal bleeding. He knelt, reaching out a hand, letting it glow softly. 

 

“Donn-” Shiro tried to speak, his eyes wide in terror, following Lotor’s hand as best he could with hazy eyes, as he ran it over Shiro’s body.

 

“I’m not going to hurt you,” Lotor explained irritably. He knew what had happened, knew that this Shiro had no way of telling the difference between him and his previous keeper in the way of attitude. Still, the human was damaging himself like a fool. “I’m assessing your wounds-” he continued, hoping an explanation would settle Shiro and-

 

Lotor jolted, glow flickering out when tears started to gather in storm-grey eyes, rolling over sharp cheeks and a face that was probably strong once, held high and proud. But, like everything fed into the jaws of the empire, he’d been crushed down, broken and forced to continue on anyways. 

 

_Lotor hadn’t seen that kind of a reaction in-_

 

He paused, pulling his hand away, deflating in the face of such naked pain. “I’m sorry,” he said, laying his hand uselessly over his leg. 

 

What was he to do now? He wanted to explain, to try to reason with Shiro- instead, he stayed there, kneeling, and running everything that could be told over his head.

 

Great, less than a varga in and he was already well into ruining his chances to fix this... “You’re wounded,” he tried again, a direct approach to see if it might help. “I'm going to have to assess you, though, if you’ll allow it without fighting, I will have the drones perform the tasks.” 

 

Still nothing but a blank, terror-filled stare. 

 

“I know nothing I say will mean anything to you, especially from what you’ve come out of, so I hope you’ll take action as my word,” Lotor continued. “I will not touch you without your express consent.” 

 

Again, silence, but at least he wasn’t thrashing.

 

“Alright,” Lotor said, mostly to himself. He stood up and stepped back, to show his intention to make good on his first promise. He summoned a chair and had it brought to the cell. “I will wait. If you can; get yourself in that chair. If you can not; signal and I will have a drone assist you,” and now he stood back, gambling on the man not bleeding out in the meanwhile.

 

Shiro watched him, and Lotor made sure any lingering irritation didn’t show anywhere in his body language. In truth, he felt sympathy for this poor being laying on the floor, for what he’d gone through, and what was likely still to come. 

 

He regretted that this is how he was to be introduced to him, would have hated it with anyone really.

 

Eventually, the man, on weak and shaking limbs, climbed up and at least halfway up the chair. Still, Lotor did not move, nor signal his drones forward, waiting for Shiro to either call for assistance or finish.

 

Finally fully seated, Shiro looked up at Lotor through dark, filthy locks of hair. Cleaning him would be something Lotor he’d have to look into after he tended his injuries. With only a glance to ensure Shiro wouldn’t fall straight back off of the chair, they began the trek back to the medical wing.

 

-

 

It took another three vargas to undo the damage done, but they’d made sure Shiro would heal and not end up with any permanent damage, so Lotor would still count it as a win. 

 

While Shiro spent the next near rotation sleeping off the sedative in his cell, Lotor tried to catch up on everything he’d missed because of his father’s astounding stupidity, and his own carelessness. 

 

This time he made the wall remain transparent, so Shiro would see Lotor when he awoke, instead of being startled like last time. 

 

For a while Lotor knew a peaceful quiet, working through reports until Shiro awoke, looking around in a slow, hazy glance. 

 

It was, again, at least a little amusing to watch as the man's eyes landed on him, widening. At least this time he didn’t try to get off his cot. 

 

Finally, Lotor spoke, “So, your name is Shiro,” he put his pad down and turned his chair towards the man. “That’s an interesting name, I’ve not heard it’s like before. Is it common on your world?” Okay, so Lotor was terrible at small talk, he didn’t have anyone to practice on, especially with all his generals on missions, and even when they were around he rarely bothered with it.

 

His lacking was clearly apparent, as Shiro gave him look of pure bafflement. Lotor refrained from fidgeting, but by a bare margin. Odd how a being who was much smaller, currently injured and laid out could cause that reaction in him. 

 

“I will take your silence as a no then,” Lotor said, sitting back. He scowled at himself, annoyed at how awkward he was being. “So then, I will explain your situation here.”

 

A deep breath in and Lotor started, “You will remain on my vessel until you are mended and capable to…fight.” He refused to look away, keeping his eyes trained on Shiro’s. They stayed that way, staring at one another for longer than Lotor reasoned they should.

 

Before he could get irritated, again, and likely undo his work, Shiro finally spoke. “Why are you explaining this to me? Why are you even talking to me?” 

 

“Would you prefer silence?” Lotor shot back, trying not to sound petulant and likely falling a step short of it.

 

“I- I mean-” now it was apparently Shiro’s turn to stumble over his words, “no one here has ever explained anything to me, or bothered to address me as more than…my number, or Champion.” 

 

“I already told you, I won’t address you as ‘human’ or that dumb title,” Lotor answered, ready to …what, defend that decision? Again, from a slave?

 

_And, what was it with this one that made him feel like he had to prove himself?_

 

Shiro sighed, flopping in his cot, blinking when he realized for the first time that he had a sheet covering him, pulling it up and looking at it in pure awe. “You…gave me a blanket?” 

 

“It’s a weighted sheet, it’ll help with healing, encourage blood flow,” Lotor explained. “You’ll heal faster.”

 

_“You gave me a blanket,”_  Shiro said, voice dipping deeper into disbelief. “I- Why? Why bother taking- who are you? Why are you helping me? What do you want?”

 

For a moment Lotor was honestly floored, even unsure how to respond. He’d already explained why the man had the sheet, and obviously. “Want? Help? I was ordered to …heal you,” he tried since it was the absolute obvious answer. 

 

“Okay, but you could have just…I don’t know, put bandages on and left it at that!” Shiro said, voice rising as confusion started to lead to panic.

 

Not good, a panicked Shiro could be an injured Shiro. “I- No, I mean, yes, I suppose that I could have done that, but I mean, that’s just a part of it?” 

 

He saw Shiro open his mouth, heard the sharp intake of breath, almost thought he saw the first words of a demand form on Shiro’s lips- and then it was gone, and Shiro laid back down on his cot. 

 

Then Lotor heard a very strange sound, his ears pivoting towards it.

 

Shiro, still looking utterly bewildered, had let out one dry laugh. 

 

“Ah, so you find that amusing, do you?” Lotor grumbled, biting his lip to keep from pouting. “Fine, ‘Shiro’, if you don’t want the blanket, I’ll take it back.” 

 

“No! I want it!” Shiro quickly backpedalled, eyes wide, and gripping the sheet with what looked like all his strength. 

 

“Then don’t mock me,” Lotor returned, sitting back.

 

“I- I’m sorry,” Shiro answered, and flushed red with what Lotor had to assume was his blood, nearly glowing. “I just…this is the- no one’s given me even…a shred of kindness.” Tears welled up in his eyes again, and he flopped down onto the bed, hiding his face in the sheet.

 

Wow, for something this simple, and for Lotor, thoughtless, to provoke such a reaction- just a sheet, all just intended to help Shiro heal faster. Lotor was taken aback, looking down and finally breaking his demeanour to fiddle with his hands. 

 

“I- won’t take the blanket, as you called it, back, I mean. I’ll- you may keep it for the duration of your stay here,” Lotor said after a long moment. “Consider it a gift, that you might recover that much swifter.” 

 

Shiro, still likely overwhelmed, only nodded, clutching at the thing like a kit.

 

_Once he remembered being that scared, remembered clutching so tightly to his own comforts._ 

 

“Do not attempt to get up again, until you are better. I will have food brought, and if you require it, assistance eating,” he explained, claws clicking against his chair. He stood, picked up his tablet. “For the moment, I will leave. We will discuss…what happens later, later.” He nearly slapped himself for stumbling right back into an awkward explanation.

 

He got no answer but didn’t really expect one.

 

With a mental nod to himself, he started out.

 

“Thank you,” if Lotor hadn’t had his acute hearing, he would have missed the bare whisper. 

 

“You are welcome,” Lotor answered, and, feeling a smile work at least a little onto his face, left the man in peace.

  
  



	2. All these thoughts you stole from me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lotor ponders just how the universe is out to get him as he is made to continue playing keeper, and now trainer, for the champion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, there really wasn’t an ‘or’. Everyone fell eventually in the arena, either from injury or old age. Sometimes one got lucky and managed to ‘earn’ their freedom, but then usually enlisted, to bent and broken to do anything but continue killing in the emperor’s name.

When Lotor had the champion unceremoniously thrown onto his lap, and told in no uncertain words to fix what the galran empire had broken, he had decided it must be a trap of some sort. Shiro was…well, he wasn’t particularly malicious, and since he stayed in his cell while he healed, he obviously couldn’t be used as a spy. 

 

But still, it just didn’t add up. Why did his father trust him, of all his many (willing to please) subjects, to deal with this issue? 

 

Maybe because he had and they’d almost destroyed Shiro in their worthless gluttony and lust? 

 

That answer seemed too simple, too easy to brush off. 

 

And, that was what made the whole situation much more complicated, that more suspicious. Easy answers, gifts, anything of that nature from the empire always ended up hiding horrible, and often painful, price tags.

 

He wondered what price Shiro would end up costing him in the end, once while he was mildly buzzed on a cup of wine, bemoaning his fate.

 

The man in question was, however…not a bad sort, at least as far as their interactions were. Shiro was as weary of Lotor as Lotor was of this whole situation, which was understandable. But, the early animosity was absent now, at least, they even engaged in conversation. Lotor would visit his room, ask him how he felt, and then-

 

Then, as awkward as it felt to be sitting there talking to a slave about how his life was, they conversed. About anything and nothing as long as it wasn’t too dangerous to either. As in; was your home planet warm, mountainous, flat? Apparently, talking about this made Shiro settle a little bit, as he relaxed and spoke about the various climates of his world, the various lands and how it looked like a blue marble from space.

 

Lotor even managed to get another half chuckle out of Shiro when he asked him what a ‘marble’ was.

 

And, sometimes Shiro would ask him questions, like what his homeworld was like.

 

That particular conversation had ended quickly, as the answer was simple; Lotor did not know. He must have been on Altea and Daibazaal but could not remember either, no matter how hard he tried. Photos of either planet…simply did not exist, so he could not even begin to describe it.

 

Then, Shiro had done something rather strange; he said he was sorry that Lotor didn’t remember. He’d…been sympathetic to him, a person who was a part of the system that had enslaved him for something that he shared no guilt for.

Lotor had been floored then, but chose instead to change the subject, not sure what to do with this strange… kindness.

 

_No one had ever shown him real empathy, or at least no one not almost ten thousand years dead._

 

This particular time they were talking about diets as Shiro chewed on his meal. “So then, you like this thing? Sweet, you called it?” Lotor asked, leaning forward in his chair. “And apple’s sweetness, specifically a ‘red delicious’ is your favourite version of this?” 

 

“Yeah, there’s something about the crunch of sinking your teeth into a delicious, bright red apple,” Shiro said, likely smiling at the memory. “I- I miss those the most.” 

 

“So, you’re an omnivore,” Lotor said. “That explains some of your body’s sickness if you haven’t been receiving your proper plant intake.”

 

Shiro gave him another one of those odd looks as if Lotor had said something completely strange. “We call them vegetables and fruit.” 

 

“Veg-e-tab-els, and fu-ruut,” Lotor repeated the word, as it didn’t translate very well. “Interesting, I will have to see getting some.” He put a note on his tablet for later.

 

Again, that strange look, but no comments this time.

 

The subject changed again, more pointless, but at least easy subjects.

 

Lotor departed a varga or so later, leaving Shiro to sleep with the promise of letting him up and about for a walk since his wounds were healed enough to do so. 

 

Then, he looked into getting ‘vegetables and fruits’ that wouldn’t poison or harm Shiro brought onto his ship, that he might get the man the right vitamins and minerals

 

Purely so he might heal faster.

 

Whatever, he didn’t need to judge himself, he had an entire empire full of idiots ready and willing to do so for him if given half the opportunity.

 

-

 

So, apparently, despite not really complaining about it, Shiro was very happy and eager to be up and about, even if he did have cuffs on with the promise of pain if Shiro tried to attack him. His eyes were bright, his lips barely refrained from twitching upwards in a smile, and despite his injuries there was at least a half bounce in his step.

 

It was all so …charming, nearly warming. Like seeing a kit discover something for the first time. Only, the kit had clearly been abused all their life and was finally being allowed a moment of peace.

 

Pushing the disturbing and sad thoughts away Lotor called for Shiro’s attention. “Refrain from tearing your wounds back open,” he asked wryly, though the hint of amusement peppered his tone. “You are free to otherwise wander about, this is my training deck.”

 

Shiro shot him another almost smile, walking about the room. “This is…quite impressive,” he admitted as if anything Lotor had could be anything less. It was, of course, a polite and inconsequential comment than any real comment. More to make noise than anything, at least as far as Lotor figured. 

 

Not that impressing Shiro mattered to Lotor.

 

Okay, now he was starting to annoy himself with the comments.

 

“When you are a little better, I will allow you to practice here,” Lotor said walking over to him. “Since you will need to be back in fighting form.” 

 

“For the arena,” Shiro said, quietly and not without disdain. 

 

“For the glory of the emperor, and for your own survival,” Lotor added, unsure why he bothered. They both knew the fate that awaited him once he returned. To mindlessly battle against various foes until one either killed him or- 

 

Well, there really wasn’t an ‘or’. Everyone fell eventually in the arena, either from injury or old age. Sometimes one got lucky and managed to ‘earn’ their freedom, but then usually enlisted, to bent and broken to do anything but continue killing in the emperor’s name. 

 

As much as Shiro seemed- however more Lotor liked him more than most of the brutes who were sentenced to that hopeless place he was still doomed to the same fate, and nothing he or Shiro could do would change that.

 

An utterly grim destiny. 

 

“It’s strange,” Shiro said, startling Lotor out of his revery. “I’ve fought so hard to stay alive, wanted to live to- I don’t know, go back home?”

 

“Survival isn’t a bad goal, regardless of its reasons,” Lotor answered, not even sure if Shiro was asking. “I-” he paused, certain Shiro didn’t want to hear about Lotor’s ‘happiness’ at hearing the man wanted to live since your captor saying so was almost mocking. “It’s good that you have that will.” he finished instead.

 

“Is it?” Shiro asked, dark grey eyes looking at Lotor through long bangs, cleaner than before but still unkept. “Is there even a point to trying?” 

 

That made Lotor frown, how was he supposed to comfort a slave who he knew would eventually end up dead because the empire liked watching everyone suffer? He couldn’t even comfort himself when late at night he laid awake with the knowledge that he was perpetuating that same system, all in the name of ‘surviving’.

 

But the hopelessness, the true and utter despair in Shiro’s eyes demanded he tries.

 

Before he could talk himself down from how utterly ridiculous this was, that thinking he could help, he met Shiro’s steel grey eyes and answered; “Because even if they break you, even if they hurt you, if you live, if you continue on despite all that they did, then you win.” A cold victory, but one of the only ones spared to those who fought the galra these days.

 

“And what do I win?” Shiro asked, eyes wobbling in the lights, but face held stone cold.

 

“A chance at-” redemption, hope, life? “At being more than what they made you. To take the strength they forced on you and use it how you see fit.” Where did these words come from, wisdom that he...had heard once before, long ago perhaps?

 

The air in the room suddenly seemed three times heavier, and for a moment, as Lotor met Shiro’s stare head-on, he felt he could hardly breathe. 

 

And then Shiro surprised Lotor again.

 

He smiled, not a surprised huff of a reaction when Lotor did or said something he thought was ridiculous. It was a small but genuinely warm look that even reached his eyes.

 

Lotor tried not to look utterly shocked by it, and probably failed by a long shot. 

 

“That sounds pretty reasonable,” Shiro said. 

 

Dumbly Lotor nodded, blinking once and then snapping back to himself. “I’m- glad you think so.” 

 

Now the mirth of before was back, and mischief sparkling in Shiro’s eyes. Luckily, however, he did not turn it on Lotor, instead looked back at the room. “So, does this thing have settings?” 

 

“Set- oh!” Lotor answered and looked back around the room. “Yes, you may summon a bot to fight or equipment to practice on or with.” He brought up a screen and showed the settings.

 

Shiro looked back at him, a single brow raised. “I can’t read galran.” 

 

“You can’t-” Lotor nearly slapped himself on his own face. “Of course you can’t, well, I would teach you but I don’t know how much you’ll be able to pick up in a short time.” 

 

“You’d…teach me?” Shiro asked, a look of bafflement quickly replacing any of the previous mirth on his face.

 

“Like I said, we really wouldn’t get very far, but I could at least show you some basics,” Lotor answered, his own brow raised as Shiro continued to gape at him. “Is that…something unsatisfactory?” 

 

“No!” Shiro quickly replied, nearly hoping in a startle. “No! Please, whatever you can teach me, do! I- it would- t-thank you!” 

 

Lotor was suddenly so glad he never kept slaves himself since this over the top reaction to something so simple was…honestly nauseating. The cruelties of the empire never ceased to induce that reaction in him. “Alright, since you’re still mostly bedridden, I can get you started on a few programs,” he said and pulled out his tablet, typing up a few things. “I’ll have it sent there for when you return to your cell. I’ll give you the basics of a lesson and then you’ll follow the program.” 

 

Shiro, clearly dumbfounded, only nodded along with his agreement.

 

Lotor refrained from commenting, deciding that perhaps he should get Shiro to sit down before he fell from all the very sudden changes in mood that had just occurred. And maybe a glass of wine for himself.

 

-

 

Sometimes Lotor wondered if fate hated him, and wanted him dead. He’d been told he’d have a while to heal Shiro before his next match, and then suddenly Shiro was being called back before Lotor could implement all the necessary procedures and surgeries. 

 

Physically speaking, Shiro was a lot better, almost completely healed, and was even able to start physical rehabilitation. Nothing too intense, as Lotor did not want to re-injure anything.

 

It didn’t take him long, upon his arrival, to learn that some idiot had found out about Sendak’s utter lack of decency and with the info that the ‘champion’ was injured, bet against him. Lotor was fairly certain that was illegal, but apparently, the loosely termed ‘people’ running this did not care. 

 

And that’s how Lotor found himself sitting in a box seat near the emperor, as Shiro was pit against some monster gladiator, likely a pet of one of the nobles. 

 

Now, Lotor already hated this whole damn thing well before he and Shiro were even introduced, but now, more than ever, he wished his father had never acquired the taste for this bloodsport. Worse off, he had a wager on this blasted thing, one that could mean some very unfortunate consequences for him if Shiro lost. 

 

Besides from losing one of the few people he…enjoyed talking to.

 

The match began as these stupid things always did, the audience screaming, demanding the fighters kill each other in a horrible machination of a duel that held neither honour nor glory. Then the force field keeping the gladiators separate fell and they raced towards each other. 

 

It was an unfair fight, Shiro merely wearing a prisoner suit and having a simple sword while the larger opponent was armoured, not so significantly as to be completely insurmountable, but still a clear advantage. And then there was its weapon, a large flail with an electric chain that crackled as the beast whipped it through the air. 

 

Lotor nearly growled when the whole of the audience flew into a frenzy at the move.

 

Despite that Shiro quickly sprung into action, using the environment to his advantage. Lotor had known the smaller being was smart, realized it in the first few conversations they had, and he could see that razor sharp wit here, as the man dodged the spiked ball whenever the gladiator threw it at him, even using his weapon as a hook to swing around a pillar. 

 

Lotor nearly jumped out of his seat with a shout when the gladiator slammed his weapon into the ground where Shiro had stood, creating a large cloud of dust as the ground gave way. For one frantic moment, Lotor’s heart beat like a wild thing caged, panic and fear nearly blinding him as he hoped against hope that Shiro had survived-

 

And then the man raced out, climbing the beast’s armour and stabbing him in the shoulder, just before his neck. The gladiator was not pleased about his advantage being used against him, and screeched a most horrible sound, frantically flailing and trying to shake Shiro off. 

 

Shiro used the motion to leap clear off, ripping the blade out in a gory sight of bright green. 

 

Now the audience and beast howled in unison, the later dropped its weapon trying to stem the flow of its own blood. A bad move and one Shiro quickly made use of, running back up the beast and with another display of agility and raw skill, slit the throat of the creature so deep Lotor could see its insides even from where he sat. 

 

The utter revulsion he would usually have at such a gory display was pushed away with the absolute _relief_  he felt that Shiro had won!

 

Lotor did jump up then, shouting his own cheer at Shiro’s victory. The whole crowd seemed to echo the sentiment, screaming ‘vrepit sa’ as a near chant.

 

And then Shiro looked up, and Lotor felt his heart physically skip a beat when he swore they locked eyes, for however briefly before the guards came and collected him.

 

-

 

Zarkon dismissed all of his generals, clearing his court for the arrival of his wayward and most disappointing offspring, Prince Lotor. Punctually the young man entered his throne room, head up, posture perfect and not a hint of any emotion on his face, as he should. He kneeled before the throne, arm rested on his chest in perfect salute. 

 

For a moment Zarkon merely studied him, musing at the last time he’d seen his son like this, in person. Not since his last dismal disappointment, and the destruction of that worthless planet.

 

He could make Lotor wait here, bowed until his knees gave out, knowing the boy would likely obey and keep his silence if only to be spared worse punishment. But it was a pointless exercise, and not what he’d brought Lotor to him for.

 

“Prince Lotor,” he began, noting any and all twitches from the boy, “You have pleased me. When I sent the Champion to you, I did not believe he would return the stronger for it, only healed enough to be of use. Instead, I see that he has become an even greater instrument of my glory.”

 

“The Champion?” Lotor asked, weakly trying to conceal his bafflement, clearly not expecting this to be the subject of his summons.

 

“I have seen that he does better from his time with you,” Zarkon said, for the first time in- probably the entirety of his life, looking down at his son with something akin to interest. “He fights stronger, wiser.” 

 

“My emperor-” Lotor tried to find the words, and for a moment it was…even amusing to watch the small, but often far too cunning, prince stumble.

 

Still, Zarkon had not the patience to deal with it, now or ever. “You will train him, that he might bring even greater glory for me, his master, in the arena.” 

 

Again he saw his son’s lips move, to try to speak something that likely was confusion or some other emotion. With a wave of his hand though, Lotor stopped and bowed his head in submission, as he ought to have in the beginning. 

 

“If your… eminence wishes it, it shall be done,” Lotor said instead. 

 

“Good, bring honour to me Prince Lotor, and perhaps I will restore you to your station at my side,” Zarkon said, another flash of interest rolling through him when Lotor stiffened, likely trying not to tremble.

 

_Weakness, but useful to retain control over his wayward son._

 

“Vrepit sa,” Lotor answered, tone careful and steady. And then he stood, head still bowed and arm across his chest in a respectful salute. He turned and left without another word. 

 

“Are you certain that is wise, my lord?” Haggar, who had been silent the whole meeting, finally chimed. “The champion is-” 

 

“Lotor will not fail, he knows the cost of it,” Zarkon answered, and as always Haggar yielded to him, as all beings of the universe did.

 

  
  
  



End file.
